Carbureter.



C. M. KEMP.

CARBURETBR.

APPLICATION PILED SEPT. 7, 1910.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE M. KEMP, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO yC. M. KEMPMANUFACTURING CO., 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARY- LAND.

CARBURETER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

Original application filed J une 8, 1910, Serial No. 565,754. Dividedand this application led September 7, 1910. Serial No. 580,931.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE M. KEMP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Carbureters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for carbureting air and isdesigned to be used in connection with an apparatus of suflicient sizeto manufacture gas for the purpose of illuminating' and heating abuilding or a number of buildings, although it may be applied on anapparatus of smaller capacity.

The main object of the invention, which is a division of my applicationfiled on the 8th day of June, 1910, and bearing Serial No. 565,754,relates to a device for maintaining a constant level of hydrocarbonfluid in the carbureting tank, and one so sensitive that a very slightlowering of the fluid level causes the inlet valve for said fluid toopen and admit a sufficient quantity of hydrocarbon into the tank tocompensate for that lost through volatilization and absorption by theair forced into the apparatus.

By means of this device a practically constant quantity of hydrocarbonfluid at a predetermined level, which may be changed, is alwaysmaintained in the tank and the gas produced in the apparatus is at alltimes of the same quality owing to the fact that the air to beoarbureted passes through the same volume or thickness of hydrocarbonfluid. If the fluid level be permitted to vary to any extent, the gasproduced would be unequal in quality, a low fluid level causing poor gasowing to the small amount of hydrocarbon through which the air passes,while with a high level a richer gas results. It will be seen,therefore, that with a substantially unvarying fluid level, better andmore certain results are obtained.

With this object in View the invention consists of the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure1 is a vertical sectional view of a earburet-ing apparatus with theinvention applied thereto, and Fig. 2 a view of the hydrocarbon valvechamber enlarged.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates `a tank within which air iscarbureted and from the bottom of which a preferably cylindrical chamber11 extends vertically through and above the tank for a suitabledistance. A cap plate 12 covers the upper end of the chamber and isattached thereto in any desired manner, as by a flanged rin 13. The tankis usually buried in the groun at any required depth and is connectedwith the surface of the ground by a casing 14, which serves as ahydrocarbon fluid container attached to a threaded flange on the uppersurface of the cap plate 12. At the surface of the ground the casing 14is provided with a closure 16 of any suitable kind, a screw cap beingshown as an example.

Hthin the tank, a short distance below the top and surrounding thechamber 11 is an air tight diaphragm 17. Midway between said diaphragmand the bottom of the tank is a foraminous partition 20 dividing thetank into a lower hydrocarbon fluid or gasolene receptacle, and an uppergas chamber 30 communicating with the chamber 11 through holes 31 in theWall of the latter chamber.

The normal level of the hydrocarbon fluid in the tank 10 is midwaybetween the top and bottom of the foraminous partition 20 and isretained at this height by means of a float 25 in the chamber 11 mountedon a tubular stem 26 passing through said float and vertically movablein bearings 27. The

upper end of the tubular stern 26 carries a cup 28 open at the top andprovided with a strainer 29 at the `bottom to prevent foreign matterspassing into the tubular stem.

An inlet valve 34 is supported, as hereinafter described over the cup 28and projects normally a short distance within the same. Within the valvecasing is a chamber 35, its upper end forming a seat 37 for a valve 36slidable' by gravity Within said chamber and prevented from slipping outby-a cross pin 41 projecting from the valve stem 44 and into a slot 40in the valve casing which valve stem rests on the bottom of the cup 28or the screen therein. The inlet valve is to be understood as comprisingthe valve casing containing the chamber 35, valve seat 37, and a smallreservoir 38; the valve proper 36 and the valve stem 44. A duct 39connects the valve chamber 35 at the valve seat with a small reservoir38 slightly above said valve seat. The reservoir 38 is kept lled withhydrocarbon fluid by a flexible pipe 42, one end of which enters thesmall reservoir and its other end terminates within the hydrocarbonfluid container 14 and its connections, and is covered by a reticulatedmetal or wire gauze cap 42a. The flexible pipe 42 is here shown in theform of a coil to permit vertical movement o-f the inlet valve, but itmay be of any equivalent construction.

Screwed on the threaded flange 15 projecting upwardly from the coverplate 12 is a T coupling 45, the opposite branch of which receives thelower` end of the casing 14, while into the third and smaller branch 45ais screwed a pipe 43 for feeding the hydrocarbon fluid into thecontainer 14 from a holding tank preferably buried in the ground, as isalso the carbureter.

A vertical tube 47 extends through the casing 14 and is fastened at itslower end to a plug 56 fitted in an opening in the cover plate 12 fromwhich projects a side flange resting on said plate to hold the plug inposition and through which the upper end of the pipe coil 42 passes. Theupper end of the .tube 47 extends to the top of the casing 14 and isclosed except for a threaded opening to receive a vertical screw or bolt57 attached at its lower end to a rod 48 extending downward to the inletvalve 34 and fastened to the upper end of said inlet valve to supportthe same'. If desired, the rod 48 and the screw 57 may be made integral.Now, if the screw 57 be turned in one direction, it will lower the inletvalve and depress the float to cause a lowering of the fluid level inthe tank 10. A reverse turning of the screw raises the inlet valve,whereupon the Vfloat will be able to rise higher before closing thevalve and thus permit a greater elevation of the fluid level.

A straight coupling 58 is screwed partway on the upper end of the casing14, and into its upper end is screwed the flange of the cap 16. Betweenthe -cap flange and the top of the casing 14 is a disk 59 threaded inthe coupling 58 and provided with an opening 60 through which the screw57 easily passes, the opening being chamfered or countersunk on theunderside of the disk to form a seat for the upper end of the tube 47shaped to fit the chamfer or countersink. When the disk is turned in theproper direction, it presses the plug 56, through the tube 47, firmly inits seat in the cover plate to prevent the escape of hydrocarbon throughsaid seat, or the leakage outwardly of gas within the chamber 11.

The level of the gasolene gradually falls during the manufacture of gasand the float 25 descends, thus causing the inlet valve to open.Gasolene in the casing 14 descends through the pipe coil 42 into thesmall reservoir 38 in the valve casing, through the duct 39 and past thevalve 36 to the cup 28. From the cup, the gasolene flows through thetubular stem to the bottom of the tank 10. As the tank gradually fills,the float rises and closes the inlet valve when the normal fluid levelin the tank is reached. When the gas is formed it passes into thecentral section 30 of the tank 10, thence through the openings 31 in thechamber 11 and emerges therefrom through the supply pipe 32 to thevarious points of distribution in a building.

lWhat I claim is:

1. In a carbureter, a tank adapted to contain a predetermined quantityof hydrocarbon uid, a hydrocarbon fluid container, an inlet valve, afloat in said tank arranged to operate the inlet valve for regulatingthe flow of hydrocarbon fluid into said tank, and a flexible pipeconnected to the casing of said inlet valve and to the container.

2. In a carbureter, a tank, a float for maintaining a predeterminedquantity of hydrocarbon therein, a hydrocarbon inlet valve operated bysaid float, a rod connected to the hydrocarbon inlet valve and passingupward to the outside of the tank, means for moving said rod upward ordownward, a hydrocarbon fluid container, and a flexible tubularconnection for hydrocarbon fluid between said inlet valve and thehydrocarbon fluid container.

3. In a carbureter, a tank adapted to contain a predetermined quantityof hydrocarbon fluid, a chamber extending vertically through the tankand above the same, a closure for said chamber having an openingtherethrough, a plug in said opening, a float in said chamber, a hollowstem attached to said float, a cup on the upper end of said stein andopening into it, an inlet valve including a valve stem said valve stembeing supported on the bottom of said cup and movable with said cup, anda pipe coil supported by said plug and opening at its lower end into theinlet valve for conveying hydrocarbon fluid to said valve.

4. In a carbureter, a tank, a float for maintaining a predeterminedquantity of hydrocarbon fluid therein, an inlet valve actuated by themovement of the float, adjustable means acting through the inlet valvefor limiting the rise of the float and consequently the height of fluidin said tank, a hydrocarbon fluid container, and a pipe coil connectedat one end to said valve casing and opening at its other end into saidhydrocarbon fluid container.

5. In a carbureter, a tank, afloat for regulating the height ofhydrocarbon fluid in said tank, an inlet valve, means connected to theinlet valve for raising and lowering the same, the parts being soarranged that the position of the inlet valve limits the upward movementof the float and the fluid level in the tank, while the movement of thefloat opens and closes the inlet valve, a hydrocarbon fluid container,and a flexible pipe hcoil leading therefrom to said inlet valve.

6. In a carbureter, a tank, a float, a hollow float stem extendingnearly to the bottom of said tank and having a cup-shaped upper end, anadjustable inlet valve adapted to be opened and closed by the movementof said float and to limit the upward movement of the same, meansconnected to the inlet valve for raising and lowering the same wherebythe fluid level through the intermediary of the float is varied, a fluidcontainer, and a flexible pipe connection from said container to theinlet valve.

7. In a carbureter, a tank, means for regulating the height of fluidtherein comprising a float, a vertically movable inlet Valve including acasing, a valve therein, and a valve stem in contact with said float andmovable therewith to open and close the valve, a coiled pipe throughwhich fluid is fed to the valve, and a vertical rod attached to saidvalve casing, said rod being provided with means for raising andlowering said inlet valve whereby the position of the float is changedand the level of the fluid in said tank is raised and lowered.

8. In a carbureter, a tank, means for regulating the height of fluidtherein comprising a float, a hollow fioat stem having a cup shapedupper end, a vertically movable inlet valve including a casing, a valvein said casing, and a valve stem in contact with said fioat stem andmovable therewith to open and close the valve, a coiled pipe throughwhich fluid is fed to the valve, and a vertical rod attached to saidvalve casing, said rod being provided with means for raising andlowering said inlet valve whereby the position of the float is changedand the level of the fluid in said tank is raised and lowered.

9. In a carbureter, a closed tank for containing a fluid, a casing abovesaid tank, and adapted to serve as a fluid container, a plug fittingtightly in an opening in the bottom of said casing, a vertical tubeattached to said plug and extending to the top of said casing, and meanswithin said casing for pressing the tube downward to hold the plug inplace.

10. In a carbureter, a closed tank for containing a fluid, a verticalchamber in said tank extending from the bottom thereof throughthe topfor a suitable distance and closed by a cover plate, a casing attachedto said cover plate and adapted to serve as a fluid container, a plugfitting tightly in an opening in the bottom of said casing, a verticaltube attached to the said plug and extending to the top of said casing,and means within said casing for pressing the tube downward to hold saidplug in place.

11. In a carbureter, a closed tank for containing a fluid, a casingabove said tank and adapted to serve as a fluid container, said tankhaving an opening formed therein, a plug fitting tightly in saidopening, a vertical tube attached to said plug and extending to the topof said casing, means within said casing for pressing the tube downwardto hold said plug in place, a float in said tank, a fluid inlet valveopened and closed by the movement of the float to admit fluid into saidtank, a pipe connecting said valve with the casing, and a rod attachedto the inlet valve and extending through the vertical tube.

l2. In a carbureter, a closed tank for containing a fluid, a vert-icalchamber in said tank extending from the bottom' thereof through the topfor a suitable distance and closed by a cover plate, a casing attachedto said cover plate and adapted to serve as a fluid container, saidcover plate having an opening :formed therethrough, a plug fittingtightly in said opening, a vertical tube attached to said plug andextending to the top of said casing, a means within said casing 'forpressing the tube downward to hold said plugin place, a float in saidtank, a tubular stem attached to said float and having a cup shapedupper end, a fluid inlet valve opened and closed by the movement of thefloat to admit fluid into said tank, a pipe coil connecting said valvewith the container, and a supporting rod attached to the inlet valve andextending through said vertical tube.

13. In a carbureter, a tank, a float for maintaining a predeterminedquantity of hydrocarbon fluid therein, a hollow stem attached to saidfloat extending nearly to the bottom of said tank and having a cupshaped enlargement on its upper end, an inlet valve comprising a valvecasing and a valve slidable in said casing and bearing on the bottom ofsaid enlargement, an adjustable rod connected to said casing extendingupwardly and adapted to be moved longitudinally to change the positionof the inlet valve thereby limiting the rise of the float andconsequently the height of fluid in the tank, a hydrocarbon fiuidcontainer, and a pipe coil connected at one end to said valve casing andopening at its other end into the hydrocarbon fluid container.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CLARENCE M. KEMP.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM T. HALL, M. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

